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Developer log


Version 0.4 (April 21): Add external link for each item in recent posts.
Please send feedback to Ian via WhatsApp or email ian@travelmassive.com.

Member activity

Here's 10 things that happened most recently:


David Harry joined the community (59 minutes ago)
Rita Castro followed Andreia Santos (1 hour ago)
Lakisha followed Sayali Chaudhari (5 hours ago)
Long Nguyen followed Son Nguyen (9 hours ago)
David Harry joined Melbourne Travel Massive (10 hours ago)
Cynthia David followed Stuart Shaul (10 hours ago)
Ian commented on Recap: GigSky Brings the Future of Travel Connectivity to Toronto Travel Massive (10 hours ago)
Sayali Chaudhari commented on Is Social Media shaping travel more than travel itself? (11 hours ago)
Ben Dickens followed Andreia Santos (12 hours ago)
Matthew Gardiner followed Leonora Di Mauro (16 hours ago)

Recent posts

Here's the 10 most recent posts:


#1. Why digital nomads can't ship (a confession and a theory): (0 upvotes, 1 comments).


Posted by Lakisha in Discussion , Digital Nomad, Remote Work, Entrepreneurship.
Featured on May 20, 2026 (Today).
External link to website.

1 comments:

Lakisha (Hosting Accountability Retreats in Zanzibar, goldenweeks Retreats):

I'm a digital nomad. For four years, I had three unfinished projects sitting in Notion. Two notebooks full of ideas. An "MVP" that never reached anyone.

Every six months I'd start over. New city, new burst of energy, new "this time it's different". And every six months I'd end up with another half built thing that I quietly stopped opening.

For a long time I thought this was a discipline problem. I read every Andrew Huberman protocol, every Cal Newport book, every Atomic Habits chapter. None of it stuck for more than three weeks.

Then I realized something that's been more useful than any productivity advice: the problem wasn't me. The problem was the structure of nomad life.

Most nomads I know are quietly carrying the same thing: too many ideas, not enough shipped. But the reason isn't laziness. It's that nomadic life systematically removes every external structure that helps humans ship.

Three structural traps:

1. Infinite optionality. Next month you could be in Bali, Mexico City, Madeira, anywhere. When everything is possible, nothing feels urgent. The opposite of a deadline.

2. No accountability. Your friends are on different continents. Your "team" is a Slack channel that's quiet on weekends. Nobody is checking on whether you shipped what you said you would.

3. No shared focus. The people around you in cafés are doing fundamentally different things. The remote employee on a Zoom call, the freelancer in client mode, the traveler in vacation mode. There's no critical mass of "we are all trying to ship this week."

What changed it for me was almost embarrassingly simple. I gave myself two weeks. I went somewhere with no other agenda. I told three other founders what I was shipping by when. I didn't sightsee, didn't café hop, didn't pretend I was on holiday.

I shipped. It wasn't perfect. But after years of half built things, the act of having one completed thing in the world changed how I thought about my own capacity.

So now I'm building the thing I wish had existed when I was stuck: a two week retreat for nomads tired of carrying around projects they never finish. It's called Goldenweeks. First cohort is small on purpose.

Even if you never go on a retreat like this, the principle is portable. Pick a window. Pick what you're shipping. Tell three founders by when. Then sit somewhere with no other agenda until it's done.

A question for the room, because I'm curious:

What's the project that's been "almost ready" for too long?
And what's actually blocking it, the work itself, or the conditions around the work?


End of comments.

#2. Is Social Media shaping travel more than travel itself?: (0 upvotes, 1 comments).


Posted by Sayali Chaudhari in Discussion , Instagram, Marketing.
Featured on May 20, 2026 (Today).


1 comments:

Sayali Chaudhari (Founder, Unfollow: Travel India):

Something I’ve been thinking about lately.

Recently, a traveller sent me an Instagram reel and asked if we could include that exact experience in the itinerary. The same café, the same road, the same visuals they had already seen online.

Around the same time, another traveller told me, “I don’t even want to read the itinerary properly. I just want to go with the flow".

Both experiences stayed with me.

One arrived with expectations shaped by content. The other arrived with curiosity.

It made me wonder how much algorithms now influence not just where we travel, but also how we experience places.

The same cafés, viewpoints, and hidden gems keep going viral until suddenly everyone wants to be in the exact same place. And somewhere along the way, travel starts feeling less personal and more repetitive.

At the same time, it’s also contributing to overtourism in places that were once quiet and undiscovered.

Of course, digital visibility helps destinations and smaller operators get discovered. But I’m curious how others here see this shift.

Are algorithms helping us explore more meaningfully?
Or are they slowly deciding travel for us?


End of comments.

#3. Recap: GigSky Brings the Future of Travel Connectivity to Toronto Travel Massive: (6 upvotes, 2 comments).


Posted by Kateryna T in Article , Toronto, Travel Massive, Community, Esim, Travel Tech.
Featured on May 19, 2026 (yesterday).
External link to website.

Thanks to everyone who joined us at Carbon Bar for an evening with [GigSky](www.gigsky.com/?ref=travelmassive), a leading eSIM provider that solves one of travelers’ biggest annoyances: staying connected while abroad without paying a fortune.

Carbon Bar’s intimate [Green Room](thecarbonbar.ca/restaurant/event-spaces/) served as a perfect space for the [Travel Massive Toronto](www.travelmassive.com/posts/toronto-travel-massive-156537040) community to network and learn about new developments in the eSIM world. The latest announcement is an exciting [partnership with Visa](www.gigsky.com/visa-home), which offers all Visa cardholders access to complimentary global data with GigSky.

One of the attendees walked away with a $100-worth of GigSky data to use on their next International trip — which could be in any of the [190 countries](www.gigsky.com/all-countries) supported as well as popular cruise lines.

Among the [attendees](www.travelmassive.com/events/stay-connected-worldwide-with-gigsky-3857204569) were journalists from DreamScapes Magazine, Fodors, PAX, and Paths to Travel Magazines, as well as bloggers from Life On The Roam, Parenting To Go, Active City Travel, Travel Dine Wine, and vloggers Venus and Maiku. Trade members from Prestige Travel Group, Progress Travel, The Travel Agent Next Door, Trevello, and Triyo were also in attendance.

Massive thanks to [GigSky](www.gigsky.com/?ref=travelmassive) and [Stuart Shaul](www.travelmassive.com/@stuart-shaul-1190600420), Head of Marketing at GigSky for partnering with Toronto Massive on this event.


2 comments:

Jasmin "Jazz" Linton (Travel Professional, The Urban Traveler / Trevello):

Thanks to Stuart and GigSky for a great night! Congrats Yashy!


Ian (Founder, Travel Massive):

Looked like a great event and venue! Very interesting to learn about the Visa partnership!


End of comments.

#4. Running Google Ads for your travel brand? What the Google Consent Mode change means for travel advertisers.: (9 upvotes, 1 comments).


Posted by Paul Hewett in News , Marketing, Resource, Travel Tech, Privacy.
Featured on May 18, 2026 (2 days ago).
External link to website.

1 comments:

Paul Hewett (Travel Marketing, IMWT):

A significant change to how Google Ads handles data collection is coming on 15 June 2026, and many marketing teams in the travel industry haven't fully prepared for it. Right now, ad data collection is controlled by two things: a setting in Google Analytics 4 (Google Signals) and your consent banner via Consent Mode. From 15 June, Google is removing the GA4 control entirely — making your cookie consent banner the single point of control for all ad tracking, audience building, and remarketing.

The practical impact is bigger than it sounds. Everything will hinge on one setting — ad_storage — with no middle ground and no fallback if your setup is misconfigured. The problem is that consent banners are often the weakest link: many default to "granted" before a user has interacted, fire tracking before consent is given, or don't match what's disclosed in the privacy policy. Under Australian privacy law (and increasingly under global standards), that's not valid consent — and the liability sits with the business, not Google.

This isn't happening in isolation either. Privacy Act reforms are in progress, the definition of personal data is expanding, and enforcement is increasing. The direction is clear: the bar for valid consent is only going up.

The recommended action window is before 1 June. The key steps: audit your Consent Mode setup to confirm parameters are firing correctly, ensure your default state is denied before user interaction, verify that tracking matches what users are told, and update your privacy policy to reflect reality.

For travel brands running paid campaigns, this is worth treating as a priority — not just a settings update.

More details at inmarketingwetrust.com.au/urgent-you-are-at-risk-google-signals-no-longer-controls-advertising-data/


End of comments.

#5. Stop Treating AI Like a Chatbot: The Five Layers of AI That Travel Businesses Need to Understand: (4 upvotes, 3 comments).


Posted by Rain Takahashi in Article , Resource, AI, Travel Tech.
Featured on May 18, 2026 (2 days ago).

AI is everywhere in travel right now. Agencies are using it to write itineraries. Hotels are using it to answer guest questions. Tour operators are using it to draft marketing copy. Destination marketers are using it to summarize reviews, generate campaign ideas, and analyze visitor sentiment.

But most travel businesses are still using AI in the shallowest way possible: they type a prompt, copy the answer, tweak it manually, and repeat the same process again the next day.

That works for experimentation. It does not scale.

In this article, I will explain the five layers of AI (prompts, skills, plugins, connectors, and scripts) so you can learn to use and automate AI more effectively in your travel business.

From Prompts to Plugins: What the Travel Industry Needs to Understand About Practical AI Automation

The real opportunity is not just “better prompting.” The real opportunity is understanding the different layers that make AI useful: prompts, skills, plugins, connectors, and scripts. Once travel companies understand those layers, they can stop treating AI like a chatbot and start treating it like operational infrastructure.

The problem: most travel AI work is still manual

Imagine a travel advisor creating a custom itinerary for a family trip to Italy.

They may ask ChatGPT:
Create a 10-day Italy itinerary for a family of four visiting Rome, Florence, and Venice.

That is a PROMPT. It is useful. But it is also limited.

The advisor still has to manually check hotel availability, confirm tour options, adjust for client preferences, verify train schedules, rewrite the itinerary in the agency’s tone, add supplier notes, format it for the client, and make sure the recommendations fit the family’s budget.

The AI helped, but the human is still acting as the “plugin.” They are copying information between systems, checking details, applying judgment, formatting the output, and making sure nothing breaks.

That is exactly where many travel companies are today.

1. PROMPTS: Best for one-off travel tasks

A prompt is the right tool when the task is temporary, specific, or low-risk.

Article image #1
*"Write a short email to a client explaining why shoulder season is a good time to visit Greece."*

*For example:*
“Write a short email to a client explaining why shoulder season is a good time to visit Greece.”
Or:
“Give me five subject lines for a luxury safari newsletter.”
Or:
“Summarize these guest reviews into three common complaints.”

These are good uses of prompts because they are one-off tasks. You do not necessarily need a full workflow. You just need a useful answer in the moment.

But if your team is writing the same kind of client proposal, destination guide, quote follow-up, or pre-trip email every week, a prompt is probably not enough.

That is where skills come in.

2. SKILLS: Teaching AI your travel company’s house style

A skill is a reusable process. It tells the AI how your company does a specific kind of work.

For a travel company, a skill might define:
- How your agency writes luxury itinerary descriptions.
- How your hotel responds to negative reviews.
- How your DMC prepares supplier briefs.
- How your tour company writes safety and packing guidance.
- How your destination marketing organization summarizes visitor research.

Article image #2
*An example skills.md file for my travel blog, [raintravels.com](raintravels.com)*

Instead of writing a long prompt every time, you create a reusable instruction set.

For example, a travel agency could create a Client Itinerary Writing Skill that says:
- Use warm, polished language.
- Start each day with a short emotional hook.
- Include confirmed items separately from suggested items.
- Avoid overpromising availability.
- Mention supplier names only when approved.
- End each itinerary with next steps.

Now the AI is not just responding to a random prompt. It is following your company’s way of doing the work.

That matters because travel is highly brand-sensitive. A budget group tour operator, a luxury safari advisor, and a corporate travel management company should not sound the same. Skills help encode those differences.

3. PLUGINS: Packaging an entire travel workflow

A plugin is bigger than a skill. A skill tells the AI how to do the work. A plugin packages the workflow so the AI can actually execute more of it.

Article image #3
*An example workflow for offering flight or hotel options from a natural language booking request.*

For example, consider a Hotel RFP Response Plugin for a travel management company.

That plugin might include:
- A skill for writing in the company’s proposal style.
- A connector to pull client data from the CRM.
- A connector to retrieve hotel rates or preferred supplier information.
- A script to check that required RFP fields are complete.
- A formatting step that outputs the response in the correct template.
- A final review checklist before the proposal is sent.

That is much more than a prompt. It is a repeatable workflow.

The same idea could apply across the travel industry:

| Travel workflow | Better AI structure |
| | |
| Custom itinerary creation | Plugin with CRM, supplier database, itinerary style skill, and pricing checks |
| Guest complaint response | Skill for tone, connector to PMS/CRM, script to flag compensation limits |
| Tour quote generation | Plugin with availability data, margin rules, supplier notes, and branded proposal format |
| Destination content production | Skill for editorial voice, connector to approved content library, script for SEO checks |
| Corporate travel reporting | Plugin pulling from booking data, expense data, policy rules, and dashboard templates |

This is where AI becomes operationally useful.

4. MCPs and CONNECTORS: Giving AI access to live travel data

Travel work depends on live data.

Availability changes. Rates change. Weather changes. Flight schedules change. Guest profiles change. Supplier contracts change. A generic AI model does not know what is currently available in your booking system, CRM, PMS, GDS, channel manager, or internal spreadsheets unless it has a way to connect to them.

Article image #4
*The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that provides a universal way to connect artificial intelligence models to external data sources, applications, and tools.*

That is what MCPs and connectors are for.

In practical travel terms, connectors let AI access systems like:
- A CRM with client preferences.
- A property management system with guest stay history.
- A booking platform with reservation details.
- A supplier database with approved partners.
- A spreadsheet with negotiated rates.
- An internal knowledge base with SOPs.
- An email inbox with recent client messages.
- Travel Massive's database (wink wink)

For example, a travel advisor could ask:
“Prepare a follow-up email for Sarah about her Japan honeymoon.”

Without a connector, the AI needs the advisor to manually provide all the context.

With the right connectors, the AI could pull Sarah’s destination preferences, budget, travel dates, prior emails, preferred hotels, and open quote status. Then it could draft a much more useful response.

The connector does not replace the workflow. It supplies the live data the workflow needs.

5. HOOKS and SCRIPTS: the checks you should not trust AI to remember

Some parts of travel operations should not be left to the model’s judgment.

*For example:*
A quote should not be sent if required taxes or fees are missing.
A hotel confirmation should not go out if the guest name does not match the reservation.
A tour waiver should not be considered complete unless all required fields are filled.
A corporate travel report should not include bookings outside the reporting period.
A cancellation email should not promise a refund that violates policy.

These checks should be handled by deterministic scripts or validation rules, not by asking the AI to “be careful.”

In travel, this is especially important because small errors can create real operational problems: missed transfers, incorrect rates, disappointed guests, compliance issues, or margin leakage.

AI can draft, summarize, classify, and recommend. But scripts should verify the things that must be correct every time.

The travel industry needs workflow thinking, not just AI enthusiasm

The biggest mistake travel companies can make is asking, “How do we use AI?”

A better question is:
“Which repeatable workflows are valuable enough to package?”

| Business | Workflow Example |
| | |
| Agency | Itinerary creation, quote follow-up, supplier comparison, or client onboarding. |
| Hotel | Guest messaging, review response, upsell recommendations, or group sales proposals. |
| Tour operator | Inquiry qualification, waiver processing, guide briefings, or post-trip feedback analysis. |
| DMC | Proposal assembly, supplier coordination, destination briefings, or emergency response support. |
| Corporate travel company | Policy compliance, traveler reporting, unused ticket tracking, or account management summaries. |

Once you identify the workflow, you can decide what it needs:

A prompt?
A skill?
A plugin?
A connector?
A script?
A human review step?

That decision is where the real AI strategy begins.

A simple decision framework for travel teams. Question best fit:

| Are we doing this once? | → | Use a prompt. |
| Do we do this repeatedly in a consistent style? | → | Create a skill. |
| Does this workflow need tools, data, templates, or multiple steps? | → | Build a plugin. |
| Does the AI need access to live systems? | → | Add a connector or MCP. |
| Does something need to be checked exactly every time? | → | Use a script or validation rule. |
| Does the output require judgment, empathy, or risk review? | → | Keep a human in the loop. |

Example: turning itinerary creation into an AI-enabled workflow
- A basic prompt might produce a draft itinerary.
- A skill would make sure the itinerary follows your agency’s preferred structure, tone, and level of detail.
- A connector could pull client preferences, budget, travel dates, loyalty information, and past trip history.
- Another connector could retrieve approved hotels, tours, destination notes, and supplier details.
- A script could check whether each day has a reasonable pace, whether required fields are complete, and whether pricing assumptions are included.
- A plugin could package all of this into one reusable itinerary-building workflow.

That is the difference between “using AI” and building an AI-enabled operating system for your travel business.

[Rain Takahashi](www.travelmassive.com/@ra_raines) is a Canadian tech entrepreneur, travel-tech consultant, and travel blogger at [Rain Travels](raintravels.com). He is also a community leader for the [Toronto Travel Massive](www.travelmassive.com/posts/toronto-travel-massive-156537040) which connect tourism and travel professionals in Toronto and Canada at industry-led networking events and workshops.


3 comments:

Rain Takahashi (Automation and AI Consultant, Rain Travels):

I wanted to give travel professionals a clearer map for thinking about AI beyond the basics. Leave a comment with your biggest workflow challenge and let's figure it out together.

If you find posts like this helpful, please like/comment and I'll be sure to do more in the future!


Ian (Founder, Travel Massive):

Hi Rain, thanks for putting together this article. It really helps explain a lot of concepts that perhaps some people are too scared to ask about.

What are some of your favourite MCP connectors? And, where do you find them?

And for anyone reading this, Travel Massive has an MCP that connects your agent to our latest posts, company directory, and upcoming events! More details over at www.travelmassive.com/pages/post-guide#ai-tools


Rain Takahashi (Automation and AI Consultant, Rain Travels):

Where do I begin.... Canva has a great MCP. Slack is another one. I'd say check to see if any well-known tool that you use has one since it's a great way to discover what additional areas can be automated in your workflows.


End of comments.

#6. We rebuilt Kiwitaxi's airport transfer app to solve the anxiety of landing somewhere new — here's what we learned: (5 upvotes, 4 comments).


Posted by Anastasiya Nikolaeva, Marie Borisova in App , Airport, Transport, Startup, Travel Tech, Women In Travel.
Featured on May 15, 2026 (5 days ago).
External link to website.

4 comments:

Anastasiya Nikolaeva (Head of PR, Kiwitaxi):

Hi everyone,

I'm Anastasiya, I handle PR and brand at Kiwitaxi.

We run pre-booked private transfers - airports, city-to-city, door-to-door - across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, the Americas, and a bunch of places in between. Over a million rides completed, 105+ countries.

The thing that drove this app rebuild was a pretty specific frustration we kept hearing. People weren't complaining about the ride itself. They were stressed about the 20 minutes before it - not knowing if the driver was there, not having a number to call, not being sure if the price they booked was the price they'd pay. So the whole app is structured around eliminating that window of uncertainty. Price locks at booking. Driver contact lands in your phone 24 hours before. Flight tracking is built in so if you're delayed, the driver already knows - you don't have to call anyone.

The feature that took the most back-and-forth internally was vehicle selection. Sounds simple, but travelers kept telling us "I had no idea what car would show up." We now show exact makes and models per class before you confirm. Small thing, but it changed how people felt about the booking. Child seats, pet-friendly, ski equipment, female driver option - all bookable upfront. Works the same whether you're coming into Heathrow, Narita, or Sharm el-Sheikh.

What I'd love from this community:

If you book transfers regularly where the taxi situation at airports can be chaotic - I'd genuinely love to hear what still annoys you about this category. We have a product team that reads this stuff.

And if you work in travel media, DMOs, travel platforms or tour operations and want to talk about how the platform works on the B2B side, feel free to reach out directly.

App: kiwitaxi.com/en/app

Happy to answer questions about anything!

Cheers


Marie Borisova (CEO | Human-centered travel tech, Kiwitaxi):

🙌


Marie Borisova (CEO | Human-centered travel tech, Kiwitaxi):

Hi Travel Massive 👋

Today is my first day on this platform - and tomorrow marks 10 years since I joined Kiwitaxi.

I started as a support manager while still being a student, and somehow that journey eventually led me to becoming the company’s CEO.

Over the years, I’ve had the chance to help build travel operations across 100+ countries, work with incredible people from all over the world, and see how deeply emotional travel actually is behind all the logistics and technology.

I’m especially interested in:
- human-centered travel tech
- people-first leadership
- women’s experiences in travel
- community building in the travel industry

Excited to connect with fellow travel professionals, founders, creators, and people shaping the future of travel ✈️


Ian (Founder, Travel Massive):

Hi Anastasiya, Marie and team, thanks for joining Travel Massive and welcome to the community.

Your app redesign looks beautiful, with some very thoughtful UX! I have met a few people working to solve airport transfers over the years, and it seems (looking from the outside) that the biggest challenges are a) maintaining a reliable network of drivers who you can count on 24/7 and b) building distribution both direct and via agent networks. Overall, it seems like a very competitive industry with a lot of costs for both customer acquisition and customer support. So, bravo for what you've achieved!

I'm curious, what's the origin story behind Kiwitaxi? And where do you see the next phase of your growth coming from (e.g. markets, or distribution channels)?

Thanks again and hope you find our community helpful!


End of comments.

#7. RadioGuessr — listen to live radio streams from around the world and guess their location: (8 upvotes, 7 comments).


Posted by Ian in Website , Game, Map, Radio, Education.
Featured on May 12, 2026 (8 days ago).
External link to website.

7 comments:

Ian (Founder, Travel Massive):

RadioGuessr is a fun game where you listen to live radio streams from around the world and guess their location on a 3D globe.

If you get stuck trying to guess, you can get a hint of either language, city, or region to narrow down your results. This is a fun way to explore international music. One wish for this app is to provide a link to radio station's website if you want to keep listening.

📻 Play the game at radioguessr.sparshdev.space

Post your top score in the comments!

The game was created by Sparsh — a software developer in Lucknow (sparshdev.space)


Seminole Fraley (Grant Writing & Development, Scapade - App):

Ian, thanks for sharing! This is a super fun way of integrating not only immersion of new music but also knowledge of such! My father used to play a 'trivia' game with me while I was growing up; he would play only 10 seconds of a song and then ask me to guess the title or artist (or both). Thanks to this lifelong game, I was frequently called "the human jukebox" among friends and coworkers. The little moments that are seemingly insignificant can actually prove to be quite significant when they compile over time!


Ian (Founder, Travel Massive):

There's a great game on Alexa devices ("play music quiz") that does exactly that, you would be a champion at it!


Ric Gazarian (Event Organizer & Traveler, GlobalGaz):

unique trivia game!!


Seminole Fraley (Grant Writing & Development, Scapade - App):

Now that you mention it, I do think I've played the Alexa game before also! However, it would have been several years ago, when Alexa was initially gaining popularity in homes.


Nathan James (Head of Digital & Growth, BudgetBro Travel Budgeting App):

Love it!


Mohan Yadav (Digital Marketing Specialist, Sriggle Tech Private Limited):

Nice Concept


End of comments.

#8. How much does pet-friendliness (including stray animal treatment) influence your travel choices?: (3 upvotes, 6 comments).


Posted by Kirsi Hyvaerinen in Discussion , Montenegro, Responsible Travel, Pet Travel, Europe.
Featured on May 11, 2026 (9 days ago).


6 comments:

Kirsi Hyvaerinen (Co-founder of MNE Chapter, CEO, HYVÄ Coaching & Consulting):

Montenegro is missing out on a massive and growing market: an estimated 46 million pet-inclusive trips happen in the EU every year, yet travelers with dogs increasingly choose other destinations — citing safer streets and more visible kindness toward animals.

Stray dog management isn't just a welfare issue. It affects public health, community trust, repeat visitation, and increasingly, EU accession requirements. NGOs across the Western Balkans are doing vital work, but they're underfunded and under-supported.

We'd love to hear from you as travel professionals:

1. How much does pet-friendliness (including stray animal treatment) influence your travel choices or client recommendations?
2. Have you ever avoided a destination because of how it treats stray animals?

Your experiences can help turn this into real industry momentum for change. 🐾

PS: The Montenegro Travel Massive is getting behind Dancing For The Dogs — an international charity music event on 13th June in Ulcinj raising funds for sterilisation, adoptions, and on-the-ground NGO work. Details: www.dancingforthedogs.me


Inge Pincket (Travel blogger/journalist and publisher of Destination Explorer Magazine, Destination Explorer):

I think it's important. I love the way Greece is handling the stray cats. They are being sterilized and marked on the ears.


Kirsi Hyvaerinen (Co-founder of MNE Chapter, CEO, HYVÄ Coaching & Consulting):

Indeed, state supported veterinary action including health care and very importantly, neutering (sterilisation), is one big key.


Kirsi Hyvaerinen (Co-founder of MNE Chapter, CEO, HYVÄ Coaching & Consulting):

Have you ever avoided a destination because of how it treats stray animals? Asking also because currently we see lots of very sad & shocking comments by tourists in MNE (e.g. 10 dogs found poisoned by the beaches of Ada Bojana / Ulcinj) - warning others to stay away and spend their money elsewhere.


Stella Waterhouse (Koloko Travel):

A great deal - wouldn't want to visit countries that treat stray animals badly -

Having a friend who is very involved in rescues in one part of the EU am also aware that in at least one country a minority of vets involved in "rescuing" dogs - have been accused of ill-treating or not feeding them once they have been taken off the streets


Sandra Rosenau (Content Creator | Consultant, Minimalist Journeys Ltd):

We haven't avoided a destination (yet). But that's purely because we'd only learn about their (bad) animal treatment behaviour during our visit. That said, the maltreatment of strays we've experienced in Serbia and Morocco certainly tainted our experience (to the point that we're not keen to return). How a society treats its animals tells you a lot about how it treats its people (especially marginalised communities).


End of comments.

#9. Anyone else seeing a drop in North American bookings for European tours?: (0 upvotes, 1 comments).


Posted by Laurel Robbins in Discussion , Europe, North America, Tour Company, Marketing.
Featured on May 11, 2026 (9 days ago).


1 comments:

Laurel Robbins (Founder & AI Strategist for Tour Operators & Travel Agents, /Laurel Robbins):

Our hiking clients come mainly from the US and Canada, and we're feeling a significant drop in bookings this summer compared to previous years.

Curious whether other operators running European tours with a North American client base are seeing the same thing? And what you're doing about it.

Sitting tight, pivoting to European markets, changing your marketing? Would love to hear what your experience and how you're handling it.


End of comments.

#10. We built an open-source map of Wales with 1,960 hand-picked locations you can embed on your website or blog for free: (15 upvotes, 14 comments).


Posted by Nick in App , Wales, United Kingdom, Map, Planning, Blogging.
Featured on May 11, 2026 (9 days ago).
External link to website.

14 comments:

Nick (Founder, Wales.org):

Hi everyone,

I'm Nick, the founder of Wales.org.

I wanted to share something I've been working on for quite a while now that I think (hope) you will find useful.

It's an open-source interactive map of Wales with over 1,960 hand-picked locations across 18 filterable categories — castles, beaches, hiking trails, hidden pubs, dog-friendly walks, food and drink and I've built it to be embedded on travel sites without it competing with their businesses.

The bit that took the most thought was how to make it partner-safe?

The version on wales.org has affiliate links in pin popups (Viator for experiences, HolidayCottages.co.uk for stays). That's how we monetise.

But the moment the map embedded I realised that a holiday cottage operator in Pembrokeshire embedding our map on their site would be putting competitor affiliate links on their own listing pages. Same for any experience-day provider vs. the Viator buttons. Nobody with sense would embed that!

So the embed automatically detects context:

On wales.org the full version have the affiliate links visible (we earn commission)

In an iframe on a partner site the affiliate buttons are hidden, only the "Designed by Wales.org" URL at the bottom remains = partner-safe behaviour.

Detection is via `window.self !== window.top` plus a URL-path check. No configuration needed from anyone embedding it. There's also a CSS fallback to hide affiliate buttons even if the JavaScript ever fails — belt-and-braces partner safety!

The result?

For example, a Welsh cottage operator can now embed our map on their listings page and it won't redirect their customers to any of our affiliates. A tour provider can embed it on their experiences page and it won't push visitors to Viator. The designed by Wales.org link stays because that's the legitimate quid pro quo of free use and they give the host site valuable contextual content for visitors.

Build details (for the curious):

- Leaflet + Leaflet.markercluster, vanilla JS, no framework, no build step
- 1,963 pins held as static JS — no API calls on page load
- Three data layers: 170 handcrafted, 664 Google Places verified venues, 1,129 additional Google-verified pins
- Standalone HTML at `wales.org/embed/` that bypasses WordPress entirely — so the embed isn't affected by CMS updates, plugin conflicts or theme changes
- Open-source under MIT — fork it for your region
- Mobile-first popup and filter UI, fully keyboard-navigable

What I'd love from this community:

1. Try the embed.

If you run a travel site, blog or DMO and want to give your readers a richer "places to visit" tool than Google My Maps, grab the iframe from `wales.org/embed/`. Click pins on your test page and verify for yourself that the affiliate buttons stay hidden. Free with attribution.

2. Fork it for your region.

The architecture is location-agnostic — swap the pin data, re-centre the map, and you've got an interactive map of Cornwall, the Highlands, the Lake District, Provence, Tuscany or wherever you may be. If you do this, drop me a line — I'd love to see regional forks happen!

3. Tell me what's missing.

If you've worked on travel maps before and there's an obvious feature gap, a cleaner way to do something or a tourism use case the partner-safe behaviour should cover that it doesn't yet.

👉 Live demo: wales.org/interactive-map-wales/

🗺️ Free embed: wales.org/embed/

👾 Code: github.com/walesorg/wales-interactive-map

Happy to answer questions on the build, the partner-safe detection logic, the pin data sourcing, the WordPress integration, or anything else.

Cheers,
Nick


Inge Pincket (Travel blogger/journalist and publisher of Destination Explorer Magazine, Destination Explorer):

This looks amazing. This year we are going on a roadtrip to Scotland with our dog, but next year it might be Wales! Very interesting post!


Nick (Founder, Wales.org):

Thanks Inge. That means a lot - Both excellent choices! Loads of trails, hikes and dog friendly places to choose from. When you decide to go to Wales, drop me a line with any questions and I'll happily share some great dog friendly places with you and enjoy Scotland, it's a beautiful country.


Ian (Founder, Travel Massive):

Hi Nick, thanks for sharing your project with the Travel Massive community.

It's fantastic to see a new open-source travel project so thoughtfully presented. As a developer I know how much effort went into preparing this for an open-source package, and to share it in the wild — so bravo!

Please keep us posted on any interesting forks or use-cases you see with your project. Perhaps someone makes a map of best coffee shops in Melbourne, or co-working and meeting places in Sofia (@maria-stoyanova). Or maybe a map of all the micronations in the world! (@global_gaz).

Perhaps to help non-technical folk, you could write some example prompts (e.g. for Claude, etc) to fork a new map and customise with the user's own co-ordinates or place set? This might get some faster adoption of the map.

And, this reminds me that I have not been to Wales yet. So, I need to visit!


Nick (Founder, Wales.org):

Thanks Ian - I really appreciate the kind words and creating some prompts for ease of use is a great idea! I'll get on that now and will post them on here ASAP. Wales is a beautiful country, so keep it near the top of your places to visit next!


Nick (Founder, Wales.org):

The below looks scary and long, but it's mainly prompt text that you copy and paste and few extra tips at the end.

How to Build Your Own Interactive Travel Map Using AI

No coding required — about 25 - 30 minutes start to finish

This guide shows you how to copy the open-source Wales.org interactive map and turn it into a map of your own region, on your own website. You don't need to know how to code. An AI assistant (ChatGPT or Claude) will do the hard work for you. I recommend using Claude, but your choice.

You just follow the steps.

What you'll need before you start:

A computer (Windows, Mac, or Linux)
A free ChatGPT or Claude account
A free Google account (for the Google Maps key)
A credit or debit card (for Google's free tier — you will not be charged, see Step 4)
A WordPress website where you'll display the map
About 30 minutes

Step 1: Download the map files

You'll start by getting a copy of the original map files onto your computer.

Open this link in your browser: github.com/walesorg/wales-interactive-map
Find the green button on the page that says Code (it has a small < symbol next to it). Click it.
A small menu will drop down. Click Download ZIP at the bottom of that menu.
The file will save to your computer's Downloads folder.
Find the ZIP file and double-click it to unzip (extract) it. You'll now have a regular folder.
Open the folder. The two files that matter are:


index.html — the part people see
map.js — the part that does the thinking

Keep this folder open. You'll come back to it.


Step 2: Install a proper text editor (very important)

You will be opening and editing code files. Do not use Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Apple TextEdit, or Notepad to do this. They secretly change straight quotes into curly "smart quotes", which instantly breaks code.
Install Visual Studio Code — it's free, works on Windows, Mac and Linux, and is what most professional developers use.

Go to code.visualstudio.com
Click the big blue download button (it auto-detects your operating system).
Open the file once it downloads and follow the prompts to install it.
Open VS Code once it's installed. You're done — you'll use it in later steps.

That's all the setup you need.


Step 3: Write down the places you want on your map

Open VS Code, click File then New File, and type out a list of every place you want to appear as a pin. It can be 5 places or 500 — your choice - you can even get Ai to put the list together for you.

Save the file somewhere easy to find (Desktop is fine) and call it my-places.txt.

Example list:
The Golden Lion Pub, Newport
Snowy Mountain Hiking Trail, Snowdonia
The Best Coffee Shop, Cardiff Main Street
Pembrokeshire Coastal Path

Tip: be as specific as possible. "The Golden Lion Pub, Newport, Wales" gets a better result than just "Golden Lion Pub" because there are dozens of pubs with that name.


Step 4: Get your free Google Maps key

AI is very clever, but it cannot accurately guess GPS coordinates. If you ask it where a local pub is, it might drop the pin in the middle of a field. To fix this, the AI uses Google Maps to find the exact address. To let it do that, you need a free "key" from Google.

Go to console.cloud.google.com
Sign in with your Google account.
At the top of the page, click Select a project, then New Project. Give it any name (for example: "My Travel Map") and click Create.
Once the project is created, use the search bar at the top and type Geocoding API. Click the result.
Click the blue Enable button.
In the left menu, click Credentials, then Create Credentials, then API Key.
Google will show you a long string of letters and numbers. This is your key. Copy it and paste it somewhere safe (a note on your computer is fine for now).

About the credit card: Google asks for a card to confirm you're a real person — this is to stop bots. You will not be charged for normal use. Google gives every account 10,000 free Geocoding requests every month. For most travel maps with a few hundred locations, you'll never come close to using up the free tier - I have nearly 2,000 locations on mine and did not come close to paying for it.

(continued in next comment — Part 2 of 4)


Nick (Founder, Wales.org):

(Part 2 of 4 — continued from above)

Step 5: Use AI to turn your list into map pins

Now you'll ask the AI to take your simple text list and turn it into proper map data, with the correct GPS coordinates for every place.

Open ChatGPT (chatgpt.com) or Claude (claude.ai). A free account is fine.

Start a new chat.

Copy the prompt below. Fill in the two square-bracket sections with your Google key and your list of places. Then send it.

For the "Pick a sensible category (for example: Food & Drink, Hiking, Beaches, Castles, Accommodation, Family, Hidden Gem)" part of the prompt below you can change the examples to suit what you are looking for

Prompt to copy and paste:

I am building an interactive travel map and I do not know how to code, so please walk me through this clearly.
I have a list of places. I need their exact GPS coordinates and the result formatted as map pin data I can paste into a JavaScript file.
Please write a simple Python script that uses my free Google Maps Geocoding API key to find the rooftop latitude and longitude for every place on my list. Then run the script (or show me how to run it step by step) and give me the final result formatted as a JavaScript array, where every pin looks exactly like this example:
{"name": "Place Name", "lat": 51.5074, "lng": -0.1278, "category": "Food & Drink", "description": "A short description."}
For each place, please:

Pick a sensible category (for example: Food & Drink, Hiking, Beaches, Castles, Accommodation, Family, Hidden Gem)

Write a short, friendly one-sentence description

My Google API key is: [PASTE YOUR GOOGLE KEY HERE]
My list of places is: [PASTE YOUR LIST OF PLACES HERE]


What happens next: The AI will produce a neat block of JavaScript code with all your places and their exact GPS coordinates already filled in. Copy this block. Open VS Code, paste it into a new blank file, and save it as my-pins.txt on your Desktop. You'll use it in Step 7.
If the AI can't run the script itself, it will give you very clear copy-paste instructions to run it on your own computer — just follow them. If you get stuck, paste the error message straight back into the chat and the AI will fix it.


Step 6: Use AI to point the map at your region

The map is currently centred on Wales. You need to tell it to look at your region instead, and update the filter categories (Castles, Beaches, etc.) to suit your topic.

Open VS Code.
Click File then Open and choose the map.js file from the folder you unzipped in Step 1.
Once it's open, press Ctrl+A (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+A (Mac) to select all the text. Then press Ctrl+C or Cmd+C to copy it.
Open a new chat in ChatGPT or Claude (a fresh one — don't reuse the chat from Step 5).
Copy the prompt below, fill in the two bracket sections, paste your code at the end, and send.

Prompt to copy and paste:

Act as an expert web developer. I have the open-source code for an interactive travel map, and I want to repurpose it for a different region and topic. I do not know how to code, so please do the heavy lifting for me and explain anything I need to do in plain English.
My new target region is: [INSERT YOUR REGION — for example: Cornwall, England, or Melbourne, Australia]
My map's topic is: [INSERT YOUR TOPIC — for example: family days out, specialty coffee shops, dog-friendly walks]
Please do the following:

Find the part of the code that centres the map on Wales, and change the latitude, longitude and zoom level so the map opens centred on my region instead.
Update the filter categories so they match my topic (replace categories like Castles, Beaches and so on with ones that fit).
Delete all the original Wales map pin data so the pin list is completely empty and ready for my new pins.
Do not change the partner-safe iframe detection (the part with window.self !== window.top). That code keeps the map safe to embed on other websites, so it must stay exactly as it is.
Give me the full updated code back as one single block I can copy and paste, and tell me exactly where in the file my new pins from Step 5 should go.

Here is the original code: [PASTE ALL THE TEXT FROM map.js HERE]


What happens next: The AI will give you a brand-new version of the map.js code, ready for your region. Keep this chat open — you'll use it again in the next step.

(continued in next comment — Part 3 of 4)


Nick (Founder, Wales.org):

(Part 3 of 4 — continued from above)

Step 7: Put it all together (let the AI do it)

Instead of editing the file by hand, ask the AI to give you the finished map.js with your pins already inside it. Go back to the same chat from Step 6 and send this:

Please take the updated map.js code you just gave me, paste my pins into the empty pin data section, and send me back the complete finished file as one single block of code I can copy and paste straight in. Do not leave any blanks for me to fill in.
Here are my pins: [PASTE YOUR PINS FROM STEP 5 HERE]

The AI will reply with the full, finished map.js. Now you just need to put it on your computer:

Open the map.js file in VS Code.
Click anywhere inside the file, then press Ctrl+A (Windows) or Cmd+A (Mac) to highlight everything.
Press Delete on your keyboard.
Copy the new code from the AI chat and paste it in.
Press Ctrl+S (Windows) or Cmd+S (Mac) to save.

Test it before going live: Open the folder you unzipped in Step 1 and double-click index.html. It will open in your web browser, and you should see your map with all your pins. Click a few to make sure the names and descriptions are right.

If anything looks wrong, take a screenshot, go back to the AI chat, describe what's wrong in plain English ("the pins aren't showing" or "the map is centred in the wrong place"), upload the screenshot and ask for a fixed version.

Step 8: Upload the map to your WordPress site

This is the easiest way to get your files onto your website without messing about with server logins.

Log in to your WordPress dashboard (usually at yourwebsite.com/wp-admin).
In the left menu, click Plugins then Add New.
In the search box, type File Manager (the popular one has a yellow folder icon and over a million installs).
Click Install Now, then click Activate.
A new item called WP File Manager will appear in your left menu. Click it.
You'll see a list of folders that make up your website. Right-click in an empty area and choose New Folder. Name it mymap (all lowercase, no spaces).
Double-click your new mymap folder to open it.
Drag the index.html and map.js files from your computer straight into the WP File Manager window. They'll upload automatically.

Step 9: Show the map to your readers

Now you'll embed the map into a page or blog post.

Open the WordPress page or post where you want the map to appear (or create a new one).
Click the + button to add a new block.
Search for Custom HTML and select it.
Paste the following code into the block, replacing yourwebsite.com with your actual domain:

<iframe src="yourwebsite.com/mymap/index.html"; width="100%" height="600px" style="border:none;" loading="lazy" title="Interactive map"</iframe

Click Preview (top right) to check it looks right.

When you're happy, click Publish or Update.

Visit the page on your live site. You should now see your fully working interactive map. Congratulations — you just built a working web app!

(continued in next comment — Part 4 of 4)


Nick (Founder, Wales.org):

A few extra tips

Make it rank on Google: Add a short paragraph above and below the map explaining what the map shows, who it's for, and what people can do with it. This gives Google something to read and helps your page appear in search results. Include words people would actually search for (for example: "interactive map of family days out in Cornwall").

Make it work on phones: Most of your visitors will be on a phone. Open the page on your own phone and check the map loads, the pins are tappable, and the popups don't get cut off. If anything looks off, paste a screenshot into ChatGPT or Claude and ask for a fix.

Add affiliate links the right way: If you want to monetise the pins (with booking.com, Viator or any other affiliate), ask the AI in a new chat:

"In this map.js file, please add a professional looking affiliate link button that is perfectly sized inside each pin popup. The button should link to [your affiliate URL pattern] and only show on my own website — not when the map is embedded on partner sites."

Then paste your map.js code below the prompt.

The partner-safe detection built into the original code will keep affiliate links hidden when other sites embed your map.

If something breaks, don't panic: Open the AI chat where you built the file, paste in the error message or describe what's gone wrong in plain English, upload a screenshot and the AI will tell you exactly what to do. There is almost no problem at this scale you can't fix with one more prompt.

That's it. You've just built an interactive travel map without writing a single line of code yourself!

Putting this map on your website will improve dwell time and engagement signals. Your visitors will spend far longer clicking, filtering and exploring an interactive map than reading a static list. Google will read that extended time on the page and the lower bounce rate as a strong quality signal and will lift that page ranking over time....

If you have any questions or get stuck at any point please reach out and I will be more than happy to help.


Alix Guillard ():

Great work Nick, you get your first star on github ;-) I wish I'll have time to fork it or recentre it somewhere near me.

Should I request the "full screen" button on there or is it ok to just mention it here?


Nick (Founder, Wales.org):

Thanks Alix - much appreciated! Please open a GitHub issue for the full screen and I'll look into it.


Alix Guillard ():

done : github.com/walesorg/wales-interactive-map/issues/1


Nick (Founder, Wales.org):

All done (works in iframe embeds too) and it's a very nice feature, I've added it to my map.

Thanks for the suggestion and have a great weekend


Andreia Santos (Business Travel Consultant, Navan):

This looks like an amazing job, that took a lot of care and consideration. Well done!


End of comments.

Upcoming Events

HERE'S THE NEXT 5 UPCOMING EVENTS:


#1. Edinburgh Traveltech Meet Up with 80 Days


City: Edinburgh
When: Wednesday 20 May, starting at 5:00 PM
Description:

We’re excited to announce our next Edinburgh TravelTech meetup on 20th May, featuring an interactive session in collaboration with 80 Days.

Following the hugely popular session on Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) last year, this session will explore how the AI search landscape has continued to evolve and what that means for travel and tourism businesses looking to stay visible.

From AI Overviews and search agents to the increasingly non-linear traveller journey, we’ll cut through the noise and focus on what really matters. Expect practical, actionable strategies to help you get found in the age of AI-driven search, along with plenty of opportunity to ask questions and take part in the discussion.

Whether you joined us last time or are completely new to the topic, this session is designed to give you clear insights you can apply straight away.

Link to event page

#2. Destination Toronto presents: Game On, Toronto


City: Toronto
When: Wednesday 20 May, starting at 6:00 PM
Description:

Maximizing Content Opportunities During FIFA World Cup Games in Toronto.

Hello Toronto Travel Massive community,

FIFA World Cup 2026™ is more than a tournament; it’s a once-in-a-generation moment for Toronto. For Destination Toronto and its local creator community, the games present an opportunity to garner unprecedented global attention, attract diverse audiences, and take advantage of a massive surge in real-time digital engagement.

Game on, Toronto! is your backstage pass to making the most of it. Join industry insiders and top creators as they break down how to capture the energy, diversity, and global buzz of the city in real time - turning fleeting match-day moments into powerful, lasting content. You’ll walk away with practical strategies for navigating rights and brand alignment, plus insider tips on creating content that performs. Whether you’re looking to grow your audience, elevate your storytelling, or tap into the massive digital wave surrounding the games, this session will show you how to position yourself - and Toronto - at the centre of it all.

After the panel, join us for food, drinks, games and prizes to kick-off the soccer celebration!

This event is for: ACTIVE Travel media and creators (journalists, reporters, bloggers, creators, influencers, YouTubers, podcasters) and travel advisors (who sell Toronto).

Always join the waitlist.

About Destination Toronto

Toronto’s visitor economy is a vital economic engine for the city, with a record 28.2 million visitors generating over $9 billion in visitor spending in 2025. Destination Toronto’s purpose is to ignite the city’s visitor economy to enrich and empower its communities. Operating in partnership with the City of Toronto and the tourism and hospitality community, Destination Toronto promotes the city to attract visitors and major meetings and events, and supports local businesses in maximizing the opportunities of the visitor economy. For more information, please visit DestinationToronto.com.

www.destinationtoronto.com

⏰ Schedule of activities:

6:00 PM: Arrival
6:15 PM: Welcome and fireside chat
7:00 PM: Group migration to The National for sips, bites, and bowling
8:00 PM: Prize pack raffle
8:30 PM: Event ends

Fireside chat speakers:

Panel Moderator: Lauren Jerome (she/her)
Senior Content Manager, Creative Marketing, Destination Toronto
IG: @destination_toronto | LI: @lauren-jerome | www.destinationtoronto.com

Lauren Jerome is the Senior Content Manager, Creative Marketing at Destination Toronto, where she leads content strategy for major campaigns—including ongoing work with the City of Toronto on FIFA World Cup 2026.

With a background spanning editorial and agency, she brings a strong mix of storytelling instincts and platform-savvy thinking. Lauren is especially interested in the intersection of travel, events, and creator culture—and how real-time moments can be turned into content that connects.

Panellist: Will Tang (he/him)
Content Creator, Destination Toronto Ambassador
IG: @goingawesomeplaces | goingawesomeplaces.com | www.youtube.com/goingawesomeplaces

Will, formerly a Toronto Travel Massive Chapter Leader, is the content creator behind Going Awesome Places, an award-winning travel brand that focuses on outdoor adventure and experiential travel through his website, YouTube channel, and social media. He's also an ambassador for Destination Toronto with a huge passion for his home city teams and all things sports and outdoors.

Panellist: Marissa Anwar (she/her)
Content Creator, Destination Toronto Ambassador
IG: @Marissa.Anwar

Marissa Anwar is an award-winning writer, producer, and marketing executive with a career spanning travel media, tourism, and tech. The creator of Darling Escapes and a producer at DEMG, she has developed content and campaigns for some of the world's most recognized tourism brands and brings a sharp digital perspective to destination storytelling.

A former social strategist at Lonely Planet and proud Toronto native, Marissa serves as a Destination Toronto Social Ambassador, championing her city to audiences around the globe.

Panelist: Enrique Miguel Baniqued
Film producer
IG @enriquemiguel_ | explorerscontent.com

Enrique Miguel Baniqued is a Filipino-Canadian film and digital content producer based in Toronto. With a background in business and film production, he works across narrative and branded content with a global perspective.

In 2025, Enrique became the youngest producer nominated for a Canadian Academy Award for VILLAGE KEEPER, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and was released theatrically nationwide. Alongside his narrative work, he has captured on-the-ground content during major global events, including FIFA-related activations, and produced branded content for organizations such as Destination Toronto, NBA, NHL, UFC, Family Feud Canada, the JUNOS and more.

⏰ Event giveaway:

Prize 1 & 2: FIFA toque, FIFA tote, FIFA mini soccer ball, and FIFA water bottle.

Grand Prize: FIFA toque, FIFA tote, FIFA mini soccer ball, FIFA water bottle, FIFA full size soccer ball, Two tickets to the Toronto Tempo Sept 20 game against the New York Liberty in Destination Toronto's private suite

T&C: The winner must be physically present at the event on May 20, 2026 to receive the reward.

👏 Venue partners:

Wellington Event Venue

The Well sets the stage for meaningful experiences that draw people from near and far to Eat, Shop, Work, Live and Play. Designed for community engagement, the Wellington Event Venue boasts 5,038 sq. ft. of a dynamic space nestled within Wellington Market on the Lower Ground level.

thewelltoronto.com/directory/wellington-event-venue/
thewelltoronto.com

National at the Well

National offers best-in-class beer, incredible cocktails & a thoughtfully curated food menu alongside a full-service bowling alley and arcade.

www.ntnl.ca/toronto

​​💬 Join the conversation:

• Travel Massive: @travelmassiveTO #TravelMassiveToronto

• Destination Toronto: IG: @destination_toronto | TT: @destinationtoronto | FB: @destinationtoronto #SeeTorontoNow

• Wellington Event Venue at The Well: @thewell_to

• National at the Well: IG: @ntnltoronto | FB: National Toronto | TT: @ntnltoronto

🎟️ Event registration: there is a maximum capacity, so make sure to register. If there is a waitlist still sign-up in case someone is no longer able to come we will add people from the waitlist. In the meantime, please have a look at your Travel Massive profile and take a moment to make sure it is up to date.

👉 Please note:

* All guests must be registered to attend.
* Attendees must have completed profile to register, including a photo, bio, and links.
* No +1s please.
* Must be an active member of the travel industry to attend with an approved and updated profile on TravelMassive.com.

👉 Cancellations:

If you are no longer able to attend, please try to release your ticket 48 hrs (2 days) before the event so others can attend. Thank you for understanding.

🚨As these events are limited capacity we have a 3-strike no show policy.

📸 This event will be photographed by a member of a Travel Massive team or/and our event partner.

Land acknowledgment: We wish to acknowledge the Ancestral Traditional Territories of the Ojibway, the Anishnabe and, in particular, the Mississauga’s of the New Credit whose territories we gather on. This territory is covered by the Upper Canada Treaties.

Link to event page

#3. Travel Massive x Hoppswap Social: A Walthamstow Experience


City: London
When: Thursday 21 May, starting at 6:00 PM
Description:

A Travel Massive London evening of neon, gin, and game-changing ideas in Walthamstow.

The most interesting things in travel rarely happen in the most obvious places. So this time, neither do we.

Join Travel Massive for an unforgettable evening designed for travel industry leaders and influencers who want more than the usual central London networking circuit. We’re heading to Walthamstow where creativity, community, and new ideas collide.

The Experience:

This isn’t one venue. It’s a journey.

🪩 Stop 1: A Neon Wonderland

We kick things off at God’s Own Junkyard; a legendary, immersive space where vintage neon signs glow, art meets chaos, and conversation starts instantly. Drinks in hand, surrounded by electric colour, this is your first signal that tonight will be different.

🍸 Stop 2: London’s Best Gin Bar

Next, we head to Mother’s Ruin Gin Palace — named Time Out’s #1 gin bar in London. Expect exceptional drinks, a buzzing atmosphere, and the kind of relaxed setting where introductions turn into real connections.

❤️ Stop 3: Where Travel Gets Personal

Then for something truly special.

We step inside a Walthamstow home - an intimate setting for meaningful conversation to discover Hoppswap.

Hoppswap is reimagining how we travel:

• A global home-swapping community built on trust and shared interests.
• Discover local lives to swap into and match with people in 100+ cities.
• A way to travel more, spend less, and feel at home anywhere.

This is travel stripped back to what really matters: people, connection, and belonging.

Ready to experience a different side of London and a different kind of travel event?

Join us in Walthamstow. 👉 Reserve your place now (spaces are limited).

📍 Location: Starting at God's Own Junkyard: Ravenswood Industrial Estate Shernhall St, London E17 9HQ
🗓️ Date: Thursday, 21st May 2026
🕕 Time: Meet between 18:00 - 18:30. Finished by 21:30.
✅ Advance RSVP Required

A few more details...

Getting there: It takes an average of 16 minutes to travel from London Liverpool Street to Walthamstow Central by train. With the fastest services taking just 14 minutes.

Heading out after: And we'll probably end the evening The Raglan as featured in Time Outs top 50 pubs in London.

Questions about this event? Please email your event host: Matthew Gardiner, Director of Travel Massive London: matthew@travelmassive.com

Please note: when you register for this event (which must be done in advance) we will also be sharing your details with Hoppswap to facilitate the evening. There will also be photography at the event.

Link to event page

#4. Online Info Session: Social Entrepreneurs in Tourism Competition 2026


City: Online
When: Thursday 28 May, starting at 14:00 CEST
Description:

Curious about the 2026 Social Entrepreneurs in Tourism (SET) Competition and how to apply?

Join us live for our Info Session and get all your questions answered in one place:

📅 28 May 2026
⏰ 14:00 CET
💻 Online

Whether you are at the idea stage or already running a venture, this session is designed to give you everything you need to put together a strong application before the 30 June deadline.

We are also delighted to share that our partner Amadeus will join us in the session! Together we will cover:
🔹 Who can apply and how to get started
🔹 How to choose your track: Launch or Growth
🔹 What the program looks like from application to final pitch
🔹 Tips from the team for a strong submission
🔹 The newly introduced Amadeus Prize

Register to join us live or to receive the recording afterwards.

👉 About the SET Competition: www.socialtourismcompetition.com
⏰ Application Deadline: 30 June 2026

Link to event page

#5. Institute of Travel & Tourism (ITT) Conference 2026


City: Malaga, Spain
When: June 8-10 (3 Days), starting at 10:00
Description:

The ITT Conference returns in 2026 for three unforgettable days of collaboration, learning and building long-lasting relationships, set on Spain’s sun-drenched Costa del Sol.

The ITT Conference stands as the premier event in the travel sector, attracting senior decision-makers from the Travel and Tourism Industry. Set against the backdrop of the stunning Higueron Hotel in beautiful Malaga, Spain, the 2026 Conference, taking place from 8-10 June – promises a perfect blend of insightful sessions, social events, and valuable networking opportunities.

The two mornings of Conference sessions will be complemented by evening festivities, including a lively party and late-night bar across all three nights. Delegates will also enjoy ample leisure time during the afternoons to connect and explore the breathtaking local surroundings. Details about the speakers and session topics will be announced in regular e-flyers.

Learn more at www.itt.co.uk

Link to event page

#6. Summer in Dublin with Future Travel Experience, Airportr and InflightFlix


City: Dublin
When: Wednesday 10 June, starting at 8:00 PM
Description:

Travel Massive Dublin is teaming up with Future Travel Experience (FTE), Airportr and Inflightflix, to host an exclusive post-dinner networking event during one of the travel industry’s most celebrated gatherings—the APEX FTE Ancillary & Retailing show.

Taking place 9–11 June at the Dublin RDS, this annual conference will welcome 750+ global leaders from traveltech, airlines, airports, OTAs, innovators, loyalty programs, and more—all focused on retailing, ancillary services, digital innovation, and loyalty.

Exclusive networking for FTE Delegates and Travel Massive Members
And on Wednesday 10 June from 8pm, Travel Massive, Airportr and Inflightflix are inviting members for an after-dinner networking event to rub shoulders with delegates in a stylish, relaxed setting at The Odeon—Dublin’s iconic city centre venue. Whether you're in travel tech, digital retail, loyalty, CX, or airport innovation—this is the room to be in! Register on this platform to secure your place—you will need to login or to create a free account.

🗓️ Wednesday, 10 June 2025
🕣 Time: 8pm til late
📍 Odeon, Harcourt Street, Dublin - maps.app.goo.gl/EKQhRa3rsYxK5fNi9

About our sponsors:
Airportr is a premium door-to-door luggage service that collects, checks in, and delivers your bags between your home and your flight — letting travelers skip queues, travel hands-free, and arrive without ever touching a baggage carousel.

InflightFlix is a destination-marketing platform that turns inflight entertainment into a revenue stream for airlines and a global stage for tourism boards, inspiring millions of captive travelers with curated "reasons to visit" videos right when they're dreaming about where to go next.

Want to Attend the Full APEX FTE Ancillary & Retailing Show?
Future Travel Experience is established as the region’s definitive end-to-end air transport innovation show, bringing together air transport’s digital and innovation leaders, creative designers, and progressive minds, who will inspire one another and reimagine travel together.

Comprehensive Conference Agenda: The event will cover a wide range of topics pertinent to the industry, with sessions led by over 100 speakers.

Extensive Exhibition: Attendees can explore exhibits from more than 50 companies showcasing innovative solutions designed to boost revenue and improve customer experiences. ​

Innovate Awards: The event will host the FTE Innovate Awards, recognizing pioneering efforts in the industry. ​
To explore the agenda and register for the APEX FTE Ancillary & Retailing event click here: www.futuretravelexperience.com/fte-ancillary/

Can’t wait to see you there 🍻

Link to event page

Classified Ads

Here's the 10 latest classified ads:


Classified #1. Open Call for Jury and Mentors for Social Impact Entrepreneurs


• Company: Social Entrepreneurship in Tourism Competition
• Location: Online.
• The 2026 Social Entrepreneurs in Tourism Competition is underway, and we are building the team that helps make it happen. We are looking for experienced professionals to join us as jury members or mentors, and we would love to have you on board. • Jury members evaluate applications and select the ten finalists who will compete at the final Pitch Contest in November. • Mentors work directly with those finalists during a six-week mentorship period, offering one-on-one guidance to help them grow their ventures. Both roles are on a volunteer basis and a real opportunity to support the next generation of social entrepreneurs who are using tourism as a force for good. Read more and apply by 15 June 2026.
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Classified #2. Phuket Hotels Association Charity Auction Supports Hospitality Students - Till May 27


• Company: Phuket Hotels Association
• Location: Phuket, Thailand.
• There’s something especially meaningful about travel when it creates opportunities for others too. Friends at the Phuket Hotels Association are currently running the PHAB 8 “Absolutely Fabulous Travel Sale” — an online charity auction featuring luxury hotel stays, travel experiences, staycations, dining packages and wellness getaways across the Asia-Pacific region. The auction runs until May 27 at 2 PM Bangkok time, and there are some genuinely fantastic deals available. Every purchase supports a travel or hospitality student in Phuket. The more expensive deals are at the top — as you scroll down, it gets cheaper. Check it out, maybe you’ll find a nice getaway! Over the years, PHAB initiatives have already helped support more than 125 local students pursuing hospitality careers. Purchases accepted via PayPal, Thai QR code transfer or Bank Transfer.
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Classified #3. Get More Tour Bookings Without More Ad Spend - Custom AI Tools Built & Tested on a Real Tour Company


• Company: Laurel Robbins
• Location: Turin.
• I founded Monkeys & Mountains - one of Europe's leading hiking tour companies and have spent years figuring out what actually moves the needle. I built these AI tools and tested them in my own business before offering them to anyone else. Results from my own tour company: - €27,285 in additional revenue in 2 months from a custom client training plan - clients said it was a deciding factor in booking us over a competitor - 257 email signups in 3 months, zero ad spend, from a branded AI lead magnet - 89% clickthrough to tour pages from a custom AI Tour Finder - built for any type of tour operator 3 custom-built tools, written in your brand voice, yours to keep. One-time build fee. No subscriptions, no agencies, no ad spend. Tested on my own tours first. Proven before offered. Find out how to get more bookings without more ad spend — using tools that work while you sleep → laurelrobbins.com/ai-marketing-for-travel-companies From €497.
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Classified #4. Sales Manager - European market


• Company: Roomsing.com
• Location: Limassol, Cyprus.
• Roomsing.com is a technology platform for online check-in and AI-powered guest communication. We combine: Hardware: smart locks, cylinders, access chips SaaS: access management, online registration, digital documents The company is already working with hotels and apartments and is launching expansion into the European market in 2026. Our clients include hotels, serviced apartments, property managers, and coworking spaces. Team size: ~15 people Sales cycle: 1–2 months More about us - https://thefuturemedia.eu/roomsing-wants-to-turn-every-hotel-check-in-into-a-30-second-process/ Why this role is interesting Opportunity to build the European market from scratch Existing product with active clients Direct access to founders and fast decision-making Clear growth path to Head of Sales / Country Manager
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Classified #5. Applications for The 2026 Social Tourism Competition Are Now Open


• Company: Social Entrepreneurs in Tourism
• Location: Worldwide.
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Classified #6. Applications are now open for the Tourism Innovation Awards 2026


• Company: Tourism Innovation Summit
• Location: Seville, Spain.
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Classified #7. Seeking World's Best Eco-Resorts for Simon & Schuster Book


• Company: HoneyTrek
• Location: Worldwide.
• Per the success of the first and only book on glamping in North America, "Comfortably Wild" is going into a second and global edition with Simon & Schuster publishing! Honing in on the importance of regenerative travel, Anne and Mike Howard have embarked on a multi-year, seven-continent quest to find boutique outdoor accommodations that honor the environment, local communities, and guests for vacations with a positive impact for all. To be included in this book about the world's best eco-lodges, regenerative resorts, and glamping destinations, a property should have the following qualities: • Locally or independently owned (no multi-national corporations) • Free-standing, stylish structures and no more than 50 units • Sustainable design and daily practices • Activities that provide opportunities for learning, adventure, and relaxation in unique ways • Fit into the book's experience-driven chapter themes: Cultivate (farmstays), Rejuvenate (wellness retreats), Safari (wildlife experiences), In-Motion (camp-to-camp adventures), Inner Artist (arts-focused activities), Living History (reclaimed historic structures or historic location), Indigenous Immersion (native dwellings and way of life), and Conservation (actively improving the environment and community). For more on our vision for Comfortably Wild, see this HoneyTrek reel (https://www.instagram.com/p/DDnG99CSLCE/) and read this Q&A (https://www.honeytrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/ComfortablyWild_Global_Edition_QA-scaled.jpg) with Glamping Business Americas. **To submit your glamping destination, email Glamping@HoneyTrek.com, please provide the properties' websites and a response to our criteria we've outlined above. ** We look forward to hearing from you! — Anne and Mike Howard, Honeytrek.com
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Classified #8. Monetizing with Travelpayouts? Earn up to $600 for each referral


• Company: Travelpayouts
• Location: Worldwide.
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Classified #9. Social Media Creator (Freelance)


• Company: WeRoad
• Location: United States (Remote).
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Classified #10. Senior Content Production Manager (Creator Community)


• Company: GetYourGuide
• Location: Berlin, Germany.
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